Mine or similar car



Jan. 27, 1942. R. w. JoY

MINE OR SIMILAR CAR 4 Shees-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1940 lNVENTOR Rohn' Ml/bg v Y ATTORNEY Jan,l 27, 1942.l R, w, JoY 2,271,195

MINE'OR SIMILAR CAR Filed Feb. 2o, 1940 4 sheets-smet 2 l J0 mzg ieri' h( u|,| ||l IIHHIHIHIHMmWWWWlNmWNWHIHAMMNWNMWMMWWWWWWWWUWWNWMMHNNNVIHHn4 -Mmm Jani; 27, 1942.

lR. wQJoY MINE OR SIMILAR CAR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 20,. 1940 O J d mM m ino my m Rm 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 20, 1940 BY 0.1/ lf. @A

ATTORNEY' Patente-dl Jan. 2'l7, 1942 UNlTEDfsTATEs PATENT OFFICE y Car and Foundry Company, New York, corporation of New Jersey N. Y., a-

Application February 20, 1940, Serlal No. 319,898

15 Claims.

This invention relates to vehicles in general\` -and in particular to such vehicles or cars as are I adapted for use in mine or industrial plants.'

In the major portion of mine or industrial installations small rigid four-wheel cars are used but the curves both horizontal and vertical limit the wheel base of such cars and with the 'wheelbase limited thecapacity of the car is also limited; that is, it would be impossible to bui1da large capacity four-wheel rigid car, unless it were to run only on l'straight horizontal track., In-

mining practice the trend is toward mechanical loading and coal handling equipment and to obtain the maximum benet from such equipment the cars should be as large as it is possible to handle, since it takes no more time to shift a -big car than it does a small car. Also the length of haulage from the coal face'or loading point to the tipple or discharge point is constantly increasing as-coal is taken out of the mines and a large car is extremely desirable. It is impossible in the small' rigid cars as previously constructed to obtain a low ratiobetween 'the dead weight of the car and the load carried in the car, but in -a large capacity car it is possible to obtaina ratio between the full load and light load condition ofthe car which is comparable with that obtained in'present freight car service. 'I'he small rigid type of mine or industrial car has been in most cases rigidly mounted and as a result the car has rapidly pounded to pieces in its travels over the rough trackage. It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a large capacity car which is mounted A still further objectl of the invention is the provision of a mine or industrial car mounted on trucks with the parts so arranged that the .car can take. sharp vertical curves as well as sharp horizontal curves.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a high capacity mine or industrial car independent` two-wheel trucks at. each end which are extremely exible and in which l the loads on the wheels' are completely equalized by more or less direct transmission of load between the wheels. l

lfcl. s-119) Yet another and important object of the invention is the provision of an extremely flexible spring mounted truck for high capacity mine or industrial cars in which auxiliary springs are l provided which positively retain the wheels on track at all times, thus preventing derailments.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accom- 10 panying drawings, in which:

lhalf the improved car, with Fig. 2 being a side elevation of the other halt of the car;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the improved truck with the section being taken substantially on the longitudinal center line thereof;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the improved truck with partsv of the truck broken away to more clearly disclose the construction;

y Fig. 5 is an end elevational view oi' the improved truck and disclosing its position relative tothe body;

, Fig. 6 is` an enlarged sectional view disclosing one of the, improved spring uni-ts, and

Fig. 'I is a side elevational view of the truck with the parts in the condition they assume when the load is substantially removed from the truck, such as when a single truck strikes a low part `in the track. k Y

Referring now to the drawings indetail, it will be seen that the large capacity car body A is mounted upon four independent trucks B, each of the two-wheel type. The exact shape of the body is, immaterial, the only requirement being' that it be so constructed as to permit proper operation of the supporting trucks. In the present instance the car Abody is of the side wall girder type with the sides 2 secured at top and o bottom to top and bottom chords 3 and I respectively and with the side or 'web sheet stiffened by inverted angle braces 6 andgussets l.

The load from 'the side girder walls is carried inward for'transmission to the truck by means of heavy end gussets 8 which may be considered as internal` body holsters. The sides are connected, of course, by end walls Ill and by floor portions I2, which door portions may be arranged at various levels ,in order to obtain lmaximum load capacity while permitting proper functioning of the truck. Any suitable type of bumper and coupler arrangement may be'used but in the present mse automatic spring cushion swivel couplings Il are used which may be released by customary release rigging I5.

Figure 1 is an elevational view of substantially In most cases it is desirable to provide the car with a brake and this brake may be applied to both ends or to only one end o f the car. 'I'he brake in the present instance is shown as applied to both ends of the car and consists of a rock shaft i6 extending longitudinally of the car on each side thereof and carried by bearing bracket l1 and by pedestal web i3 later to be referred to. The longitudinally extending rock shafts are connected together on the end of the car for joint operation by suitable linkages i9 (Fig. 2). The

end of the rock shaft adjacent the truck has welded or otherwise secured thereto an arm adapted to be connected by pin 2l to clevises 22, which in turn are connected by pin 23 to a substantially horizontally extending equalizer bar 24. The ends of this equalizer bar are connected bypin 25 to links 26. which in turn are connected by pin 21 to the crank arm of brake shaft 28. This brake shaft is supported on the truck frame by bearing straps 29 and carries an arm 30 adapted to bear against the brake shoe 3| to force the same against the car wheels. It should be noted that when the brakes are applied the pins 21 will the axis of pivot pin 44 (later to be described) in order that Pthe brake shoe pressure will be substantially constant irrespective of the wheel movements about the pivot pin.

'I'he body, as previously stated, is supported on four more or less independent two-wheel trucks and each of these trucks is mounted on wheels W carrying. stub axles which-extend from either side of the wheel hubs to support the truck wheel members 36. The wheel members or frames are formed with side pieces 31 suitably braced by properly disposed ribs 33 and with the side pieces joined together by`a web 39 which partially covers the wheel and effectively ties the side pieces together preventing spreading thereof. The truck wheel membersor frames, as

shown, have the downwardly directed U-shaped portion straddling the ends of the stub axle and the sides of these U portions, as well as the axle, are pierced to receive 'bolts or other securing means 40, thus tying the truck wheel members or frames to the axles and preventing any separation. In this manner also the side pieces of the wheel members are tied together not only by web 39 but also by the axle itself, thus it will be seen thatthe axles support a substantially inverted U shape truck wheel member and addi.

tionally assist in tying the sides of the inverted U member together. The ends of the side pieces, remote from the axle, are formed with enlargements 42, which enlargements are pierced as at I3 to provide bearing portions -by means of which the wheel members can be rotatably mounted upon pivot pin M carried by the truck center bearing member. The ribs 33 of the side pieces merge into and stiften thisbearing portion of the wheel member and also merge into and stiffen an upstanding ear portion 45 which is provided with semi-circular bearings 46 which rotatably v receive the ends of a trunnion block 43. This trunnion block may be held in position by any suitable means but in thepresent instance it is held in position by a U-shaped strap 33 and bolt or other securing means 53 which passes through the ribs 33. One o! the bracing ribs is formed with a iiat portion 52 and on the inner side of each wheel member a slot through the side piece is provided as is also an outstanding lug 53. The ilat portion 52 and'lug 53 are pierced to receive be substantially in alignment withthrough an ear on the brake shoe and through lugs 51 formed on the inner surface of the connecting web 33, al1 as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The truck center bearing member is preferably formed as a casting with a deep bearing bowl 53 to which is connected by suitable webs and stiffening ribs the spaced pivot bearing members 30 which are pierced and adapted to receive the bearing pins M previously referred to. In order to prevent loss of these pivot pins they may be secured either to the truck center bearing member or to the truck wheel members, but in the present case they are shown (Fig. 4) as secured to the truck center bearing member by pins 32, thus relative rotation of the pivot pin in the truck center bearing is prevented. obvious, however, that if desired the pins could rotate in the truck center bearing members and be fixed in the wheel members. Portions 4of the bearing bowl are extended upwardly and then outwardly to provide oppositely disposed angular ears 64 braced by webs extending upwardly from thebearing lugs 60. 'I'hese upstanding angular shaped ears have holes drilled or punched therein to receiverivet or other securing means 35, by

'means of which plate 65 may be rigidly secured to the truck center bearing. This plate constitutes what may be termed an upper truck center bearing and is formed with-an annular projection 63 extending downwardly from the lower surface thereof and for a purpose later to angular shaped ears 63 together, thus strengthening the truck lowerV center bearing member.

In order to mount the body on the truck a body center bearingis provided which, in .the present instance, isformed as a casting with a lower cylindrical projection 13 adapted to closely iitin the bowl 53 of the truck lower center bearing member. The body center bearing member is also formed with outstanding arms 12 suitably braced by ribs 13 to the central bearing portion vthereof. The upper surface of these arms is preferably plane and has the center portion removed to provide an opening 13 for receptionV of the projection 33. In order to stiffen the cylindrical bearing portion and prevent entrance of dirt into the bearing area rib 15 is provided as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. It is, of course, obvious that the bottom of the cylindrical projection 13 may restdirectly on the bottom of the truck center bearing bowl 53, but it is preferable that'it rest upon s ome anti-friction material such as a bronze or brass disk 13. The cylindrical projection on the body center bearing member and the opening 14 in the top thereof provide a lower and upper bearing about which the body center bearing may turn. It is, of course, obvious that the axis of the cylindrical projection I3 and bowl 53 as well as of projecti'on 53 and opening 13 coincide, thus permitting ready turning of the body center bearing in the truck or of the truck about the body center bearing. It is also obvious that due to the depth of the bowl and cylindrical projection, together with the spacing of the projection 53 and open- It is.

Aby the main or load springs 82.

lng 14 as high as possible above the lower bearing, an extremely rigid bearing isprovided of considerable/depth, this bearing being formed by the lowerbearing in the bowl and by the upper bearing in the recess 14. The body center bearing supports the car body through inner and which the arms 12 ofthe body center bearing may be securely fastened to the pedestals (see Figs. 1, 4 and 5).

Thus it willl be seen that with the pedestals rigidly secured to the car body and the body center bearing member rigidlysecured to the pedestals, the body center bearing may beconsidered as a rigid part of the car body about which the truck may rotate in a horizontal plane.

' In order to support the truck parts as well as the car body spring elements S are interposed -between the trunn'ion blocks' 48 previously referred to. In the present instance two spring units are used, each comprising a main load carrying spring 82 having its Iends resting against a collar 84 formed on a barrel 85, the ends of which barrel may contact directly with the trunnion block 48 The barrel portions extend inwardly from each end of the main spring toward each other and are partially closed byv wall 88, which wall forms a stop for'the inner end of springs 88, the outer ends of which bear directly and at all times against the trunnion block 48. A bolt or rod 88 extends through the springs 88 through the inner wall 88 of the barrels and through the trunnion blocks and carries at its ends Anuts or other means 92. These bolts form a support directly for the springs 88 and, together with thebarrels 85, form a support for the main springs 82. The barrels having their, inner ends spaced apart also serve as stops preventing the main -spring 82 from ever going solid or being overstressed. The springs 88 are so chosen that their solid height is less than the inside length of the barrel and thus 'they cannot be overstressed. It will` be obvious from the preceding description thatthe springs 88 and the springs 82 in each unit ac t in series until such time as the barrel 85 bears against the trunnion block 48, then the springs 88 can assume no further load and the entire load must be absorbed In actual practice the springs 88 are chosen as to have suilicient strength as to force thewheels into close contact with the rails and prevent derailments.

'I'he necessity for these springs will be obvious when it is considered that in a large capacity car of the type' shown the body is extremely rigid and with the irregular mine tracks a condition might arise in which the car would tend to be supported on three trucks. If under these conditions the wheels of the fourth truck are not forced onto the rau as shown in Fig. '1, then that end of the car will be derailed. It willbe obvious that the springs in each unit act in series to support a portion of the car Weight and to force the Wheels onto the rail in case the car bodyv remove any question of its assembly, the following description is given: The truck lower center bearing can be directly pin connectedA by pivots 44 to the truck wheel members, after which the wheel and axle assemblies may be mounted in the wheel members, or, if desired, the wheel and axle assemblies may .bev mounted in the wheel members prior to their attachment to the truck lower vcenter bearing. `The body center bearing is mounted in the truck lower center bearing and the truck top center bearing member applied'and securely riveted or otherwise fastened in position. This is preferably done prior to attachment of the wheel members but may be done after attachment of the Wheel members.l After the center members are assembled andthe wheel assemblies attached, the entire spring and trunnion block assembly may be applied to the truck and theU-shaped securing straps fastened in place. The truck is now ready for attachment to the car body, such attachment being accomplished by lowering the car body onto the truck and inserting the bolts 8| through pedestal plate 88 and body center bearing arms l2.

In operation the body center bearing is rigid with the car body and 'the truck center bearing. Both bottom and topportions can move with respect to the body center bearing only by rotation about a substantially vertical axis, but due to the depth and spacing of the bearing portions there can be no tilting `of the truck center bearing. The pivot pins 44 provide trunnions about which the wheel members may oscillate or rotate slightly, but their oscillation or slight rotation is controlled by the springs acting directly on trunnion blocks 48. In other words, two triangles with their apices located on the axle axis and on the axis of the pivot pin 44 and on the trunnion block axis are provided. These two triangles have their lower adjacent apices connected together by the rigid truck center bearingassembly, while their upper adjacent apices are urged apartby meansof the spring assemblies. Any shock or movement transmitted to one axle will cause the attached wheel supported member to l need only be suiicient to support the load on one wheel and -not the entire load as in conventional trucks. It is obvious that the entire truck may rotate about a vertical vaxis regardless of the posltio'n of the Wheel supported members and that thev wheel supportedmembers may move freely in a plane perpendicular to pivot 44 regardless of the angularposition of the truck. It is also obvvious that any shock on one wheel will be directly transmitted to the other wheel, thus obtaining perfect equalization between ,the wheels and an easy riding car due to this equalization and due to. the fact that a comparative spring movement may be obtained without excessive body motion. Withthe springs placed horizontally as shown, the car floor may be lowered to a position closely adjacent the wheels and yet a large spring motion may be obtained which could not be obtained if the springs were used in a vertical position. 'Ihe use of the springs in aA horizontal position and as a connecting equalizer between the wheel supported framesor members, insures perfect shock absorbing qualities regard.- less of the angular position of the component truck parts.

fications and rearrangements of parts may be made and all such modications and rearrangements of parts are contemplated as will fall within the scope of the appended claims which deiine my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A mine or similar rail car comprising a lading body having a floor and side walls, pedestals secured to and extending below said floor adjacent each side and end of the car, center bearings secured to said pedestals for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, and independent wheel carrying frames pivotally connected to each of said center bearings at opposite sides thereof for rotation in substantially vertical planes.

2. A mine or similar rail car comprising a lading body having a floor and side walls, pedestals secured to and extending below said oor adjacent each side and end of the car, center bearing assemblies secured to said pedestals for rotation about substantially vertical axes, a plurality of substantially horizontal pivotmeans carried by each of said center bearing assemblies at opposite sides thereof and in spaced parallel relationship,

and a wheel carrying frame connected to each of said pivot means for substantially independent rotation in substantially vertical planes.

3. A mine or similar rail car comprising a lading body having a floor and side walls, pedestals secured to and extending below said floor adjacent each side and end of the car, center bearing assemblies secured to said pedestals for rotation about substantially vertical axes. a plurality of substantially horizontal pivot means carried by each of said center bearing assemblies at opposite sides thereof and in spaced parallel relationship, independent wheel carrying frames connected to said pivot means for substantially independent rotation in substantially vertical planes, and means independent of the center bearings for connecting the wheel carrying frames carried by each center bearing together to control the substantially independent rotation of theframes.

4. A mine or similar rail car comprising a lading body having a oor and side walls. pedestals secured to and extending below said floor adjacent each side and end of the car1 center bearing assemblies secured to said pedestals for rotation about substantially vertical axes. a plurality of substantially horizontal pivot means carried by each of said center bearing assemblies at opposite sides thereof and in spacedv parallel relationship, independent wheel carrying frames connected to said pivot means ,for substantially independent rotation in substantially vertical planes, and means independent of the center bearings for connecting the wheel carrying frames carried by each center bearing together to ,control the substantially independent rotation of the frames, said last named means including resilient devices to yieldingly control the substantially independent rotation of the wheel carrying frames.

5. A mine or similar car adapted to run on rails and comprising a lading body having a floor and side walls, pedestal structures secured to said car adjacent each side and end of the car, car supporting truck means secured to said pedestal structures and each comprising, a body center bearing rigidly connected-to the pedestal structure, a truck center bearing rotatably connected to said body center bearing for rotation about an axis substantially at right angles to the car iloor, independent wheel carried frame members rotatably connected to said truck center bearing on opposite sides of said axis, and resilient means interposed between the adjacent wheel carried frame members to control the rotation of said members relative to the truck center bearing. Y

6.'A mine or similar car adapted to run on rails and comprising a lading body having a iioor and side walls, pedestal structures secured to said car adjacent each side and end of the car, car supporting truck means secured to lsaid pedestal structures and each comprising, a body center bearing rigidly connected to the pedestal structure, a truck center bearing rotatably connected to said body center bearing for rotation about an axis substantially at right angles to the car floor, independent wheel carried frame members rotatably connected to said truck center bearing on opposite sides of said axis, and resilient means interposed between the adjacent wheel carried frame members to control the rotation of said members relative to the truck center bearing, said resilient means forcing the wh'eels onto the rails at all times to prevent derailment of -the car;

7. A mine or similar car adapted to run-on rails and comprising a lading body having a floor and side walls, pedestal structures secured to said car adjacent each `side and end of the car, car supporting truck means secured to said pedestal structures and each comprising, a body center bearing rigidly connected vto the pedestal y structure, a truck center bearing rotatably con- Ynected to said body center bearing for rotation about an axis substantially at right angles to v the car iioor, independent truck frame members roughly triangular shape in outline and having one of th'e adjacent apices rotatably connected to said truck center bearing and on parallel axes located on opposite sides of said axis, wheel and axle assemblies supporting the remotely disposed apices of said frame members, and equalizer means connectedto the remaining apices of said frame members whereby said center bearing will be supported and wheel loads equalized.

8. A mine or similar car adapted to run on rails and `comprising a lading body having a floor and side walls, pedestal structures secured to said car adjacent each side and end of the car, car supporting truck means secured to said pedestal structures and each comprising, a body center bearing rigidly connected to the pedestal structure, a truck center bearing rotatably connected to said; body center bearing for rotation about an axis substantially at right angles to the car floor, independent truck frame members f roughly triangular shape'in outline and having one of the-\adjacent apices rotatably connected to said truclrcenter bearing and on parallel axes located on opposite sides of said axis, wheel and axle assemblies supporting the remotely disposed apices of said frame members,y and equalizer means connected to the remaining apices of said frame members whereby said center bearing will be supported and wheel loads .equalized, said equalizer means including resilient devices permitting controlled independent motion of said frame members relative to each other and to the center bearing.

9. A mine -or similar car adapted to run on rails and comprising a lading body having a floor and side walls, pedestal structures secured to said car adjacent each side and end of the car, car supporting truck means secured to said pedestal structures and each comprising, a body center bearing rigidly connected to the pedestal structure, a truck center bearing rotatably connected to said body centerbearing for rotation about an axis substantially at right angles to the car oor, independent truck frame members roughly triangular shape in outline disposed on opposite sides of said axis and each having its base located adjacent the truck center bearing, wheel and axle assemblies supporting the 'remotely d sposed apices of the frame members,

means connecting one of th'e base apices to said truck center bearing whereby said frame members may rotate in substantially Vertical planes 'relative to the truck center bearing, and equalizer means connected to the otherbase apices of the frame members for controlling the rotation of said frame members relative to the truck center bearing.

10. A mine or similar car adapted to run on rails and comprising a lading body having a floor' and side walls, pedestal structures secured to said car adjacent each side and end of the car, car supporting truck means secured to said pedestal structures and'each comprising, a body center bearing rigidly connected to the pedestal structure, a truck center bearing rotatably connected to said bpdy center bearing for rotation about an axis substantially at right angles to the car floor, truck frame members roughly triangular shape-in outline disposed on opposite sides of said axis and each having its base located adjacent the truck center bearing, wheel and axle assemblies supporting the remotely disposed apices of the frame members, means connecting one of the base apices to said truck center bearing whereby said frame members may rotate in substantially vertical planes relative to the truck center bearing, and equalizer means connected to the other base apices of the frame members for controlling the rotation of said frame members relative to the truck center bearing, said equalizer means including a plurality of resilient means of varying strength arranged in series and resiliently controlling independent rotation of .the

' framemembers' relative to each other and to Y the truck center bearing.

11. A mine or similar car adapted to run on rails and comprising a rigid lading body having a floor, side walls and end walls, supporting structures secured to said floor and comprising in part,

a lower bearing member rotatably connectedvtoA the remaining structure for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, independent frame members independently connected on parallel axe's to said lower bearing member at opposite sides of -said axis and freely rotatable relative thereto,

wheel and axle assemblies supporting at least a portion of said frame members, vand means connected to said frame members and acting to control relative movement between said irame members.

12. A mine or similar car adapted to run on rails and comprising a rigid lading body having a iloor, side wallsand end walls, supporting structures secured to said iioor and comprising in part, a lower bearing member rotatably connected to the remaining structure for rotation trol relative movement between said frame members,`said means including a plurality of springs acting in compression and resiliently supporting upon the wheel and axle assemblies the remaining supporting structure and car body.

13. A vcar supporting structure comprising wheel and axle assemblies arranged in tandem. independent wheel frame members supported on said assemblies, a lower bearing memberl rotatably connected to and joining said frame members, means rotatably connecting said bearing member to thc car to support the same, and common resilient means located above said lower bearing member and directly connecting said frame members together independently of the lower bearing member, said means including resilient members resiliently controlling relative motion between said frame members whereby the car is resiliently supported-on the wheel and axle assemblies.

14. A car supporting structure comprising wheel and axle assemblies arranged in tandem,

on the wheel and axle assemblies, and said resilient members including a plurality of diierent strength springs acting in series lthereby permitting said means to resilientlycontrol large movements of the frame members. V

15. As anvarticle of manufacture, a supporting frame member for mine or similar rail cars comprising, spaced apart side pieces roughly triengular shaped in elevation, a web connecting said spaced apart side pieces together, and bearing portions formed on each spaced apart side piece adjacent each apex thereof, the bearing portions of one side piece being substantially in transverse alignment with the corresponding bearing portions of the other side piece thereby forming pairs of transversely aligned bearing portions, one pair of said bearing portions being adapted to receive a wheeled axle, another pair ,of said bearing portions being adapted to receive therebetween means connecting the member to the car, and the third pair of said bearing portions being adapted to receive therebetween means controlling the movement of the frame member.

' ROBERT W. JOY. 

